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9/21/09

Dear Mr. President

Dear President Obama,

The progressives, Democrats, Independents, Republicans and Greens who elected you did so because we trusted and believed you were the man who could bring the change we so desperately needed after such a dismal time in our country. You told us you would end the war. You told us you would close Gitmo. You told us you would be honest and open and transparent. You told us you would fight for Universal health care. You told us you were soundly against DADT, and wanted to repeal DOMA. You told us lots of things that we wanted to hear and believed were possible. So we elected you. We still think these things are possible too.

As you surely know, being the tech hound you are, the progressive blogosphere is not happy with you. In fact, though only anecdotal, of the 145 people who voted in my tiny little poll on my blog, 95 are disappointed in you. It's not scientific, but it shows me something--you are failing. You are losing your base. You have lost me and about 95 others I know of.

I cannot tell you how disappointing it is to have had so much hope only to have that hope squashed by the very hope itself (you!). I convinced many people that you were our best chance to put the country on the right track. I donated money, made phone calls, and got into arguments. I am now wondering why. It feels a bit like this:

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. We got fooled again?

You have yet to scream at the top of your lungs that you won't settle for anything less than a public option for health care (a far cry from universal health care, but a good start). You even got Pharma to make it look like they are helping, with their $100 million ad campaign (what percentage of their revenue is $100 million? Minuscule.). Most of us know that is a pittance, is toothless, and is an attempt to trick us. Screw you. Screw them! Maybe if they committed $100 billion...

Remember LBJ? Remember Viet Nam? Have you learned anything from the history of that war? We were caught in the middle of a civil war. We lost 50,000 soldiers, the war, our confidence, the government (Nixon subsequently won), and the people. There was no way for LBJ to extricate himself because he listened to folks he respected who agreed with him. You need to start listening to those who disagree with you. Those who disagreed with LBJ turned out to be right. Find your GeorgeBall and listen!

You had our confidence in the beginning. Then you began to equivocate. Release the pictures of abuse or not? Keep up the secret domestic spying or not? Give war prisoners trials or not? Fight for universal health care or not? End DADT or not? You decided NOT. Bad decision. Bad for America, not just you, not just Democrats specifically; America. Sasha. Malia. My son.

And what's with the giving banks billions without constraints? You do know Paul Volker, right? Do you still talk to him? You should. I think he works for you.

You must be bold. You must use your abilities to do what's right, not what's possible. I know the bromide that says politics is the art of the possible; you seem to believe that's all you can shoot for. Aim high! Higher!Possibilities are endless, as long as you work. That's what you're preaching to the kids with your bball buddy and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Or is that just more hot air?

At this point I need to be convinced there is a reason to support you. You don't have my support anymore. Maybe what I mean is I don't trust you anymore. I will support the things I agree with you on, but I have little faith they will get done. I have lost hope. What a pity.